this post was submitted on 23 Sep 2023
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Fuck Cars

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Lars Wilderäng is a Swedish author and blogger. Quick overview: his topics generally revolve around defence policies (Russia bad, moar defence), economics (low interest rates bad, housing market speculation bad) and since the war started, the war in Ukraine (send Ukraine moar weapons). He hates Elon Musk but loves his Tesla. He hates ICE cars.

He's unfortunately one of the "EVs will solve everything" people, which annoys me greatly, but today I saw a small car-related comment on his blog that actually made me laugh.

Oh and sorry for the misspelled "cyclists".

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[–] [email protected] 10 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago (3 children)

Weird phrasing, yes. Probably makes more sense in the original.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 year ago

yeah he's basically saying "who knows?"

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

It doesn't really, it's just his way of writing very sarcastically.

I guess what he's trying to say is that it generally boils down to some macho attitude when you think you "need" an SUV.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 year ago

it's a fairly normal expression in swedish

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 year ago (5 children)

There are tons of hilly or mountainous regions in the US with terribly rutted unimproved roads where you need a high-clearance 4WD. Does it need to specifically be an SUV? No, but if you were in a car it would need a lift and bigger tires. Battlecars. A lot of the crossovers are just lifted wagons anyway.

[–] [email protected] 19 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

I live on a hilly dirt road in Vermont and we get by fine with a Toyota Yaris and a 2007 GMC canyon with 4wd. There's maybe 2 or 3 cumulative weeks a year when the Yaris can't handle the road conditions, and on those days, it'd be better if everyone who could stayed home anyway.

Even my truck, which gets used for lots of construction and farm chores, is smaller and has a lower clearance than most modern SUVs. I challenge any SUV or truck owner who claims they need something bigger than I do to compare our vehicle usage. I moved a baby cow in the Yaris just yesterday. In fact, I literally bought the smallest used truck I could find. I'd buy a smaller truck tomorrow if I could.

Also, while I'm here, my tiny town of a few thousand people has a train station with service to NYC and even DC, but it takes way, way longer than driving, and it only runs once or twice a day. All these little towns in Vermont ALREADY HAVE TRAIN STATIONS but no one can use them because the service is worthless. If the train was even somewhat regular and as fast as driving, I would use it all the goddamn time.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

My sister used to live in a rural area with a very bad dirt road. She had 2 SUVs and insisted it was the only way to drive there.

I visited her often with my estate and countless tradies would reach the area with vans

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

Fun fact…both the death of wagons and the birth of CUVs, in the US, are due to CAFE.

Station wagons drag down the fleet average MPG for passenger cars. Crossovers, though, benefit the fleet average MPG for trucks. Even though they are just tall unibody vehicles.

IMO, that should be the delineation for CAFE (unibody vs. body-on-frame), instead of wheelbase.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago

Exempt vehicles should either require farm plates or a CDL. If you're not using the vehicle for work, it should follow common-sense emissions requirements.

But to be fair ,the fact that we're still selling fossil cars in 2023 is insane, anyways.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Now that the SUV has been invented, the settlers can finally move into these harsh landscapes, which were unaccessible before.

This also explains why this phenomenon emerged in the US, because other continents simply don't have hilly or mountainous regions.

Sarcasm aside, most of these vehicles are used for short trips on well-maintained city roads, to get to office and buy groceries. They aren't even very useful for offroad tasks, no improvement on existing vehicles. Even worse, they are not useful to get around in cities.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago

But I really, really need that SUV to transport my 144 weekly loo rolls needed to sustain my 100% protein shake-only diet! Think about the gains man!

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago

Perhaps. But he is writing in Swedish.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago (1 children)

One reason I never even thought of until recently is that some people have difficulties seating themselves in a low vehicle. Most notably elders (arthritis) and obese people.

Still not a fan of the SUV invasion, but at least it makes a little more sense.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago

Yeah I find it hilarious that rather than work to lose some weight (for their health, but also their dignity) these same folks go and buy SUVs to maintain their dignity and comfort.

Unless you are genetically predisposed to such things, obesity is a choice (or a long line of poor ones).

I am the first my family has seen that isn't borderline obese(in generations) the only difference is I eat a balanced diet and exercise.

I'm absolutely disgusted that the obesity rates have been climbing to a shocking degree for decades, the fatdemic has even begun to spread to Australia.

I can understand and empathize with the elderly aspect of SUVs, however regarding obesity it's just an enabler. The amount of times I've nearly died on the road here, to some fucking SUV with a fat fuck driving (while eating no less, also a crime here as it counts as distracted driving) are incalculable.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

“My driveway is steep but I have a car, you don't need a car bigger than me.”

[–] [email protected] 11 points 1 year ago (1 children)

99% of SUV owners do not, no. His point is not that no one needs a car with high ground clearance because of course some people do. His point is that the vast majority of people do not. He lives in an area where people often claim they "need" SUV:s, but he does not own an SUV and it works out fine.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I mean, what is an SUV even? Is a Subaru Outback a SUV? How about a Mazda CX-5? (Built on the Mazda 3/6 platform)

Are you only counting truck frames or any large hatchback?

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

Fair enough of course, stuff needs to be defined. I wouldn't call an outback an SUV personally. That car is more like a station wagon with a slightly higher ground clearance.

[–] [email protected] -1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Getting into the car, driving position, visibility, ground clearance...

SUV is the best car format for many, if not most people. My last car was an SUV. If you need a car at all, those are good properties for the car to have.

Currently, I don't have a car at all and I'm very happy because of that. But if I really needed one it would be an SUV.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

Worse aerodynamics, worse stability, more prone to roll over, will more likely kill the driver of another car in a crash, will more likely kill a pedestrian. Etc etc.

It comes with a cost.